France became world champions for the second time following a 4-2 victory against Croatia in a entertaining World Cup final in Moscow.
Mario Mandzukic’s own goal gave France the lead before a powerful Ivan Perisic strike levelled. The Croatian was then adjudged to have handled the ball in his side’s penalty area after a lengthy Video Assistant Referee review which allowed Antoine Griezmann to slot home from the spot.
Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe scored to increase Les Bleus’ lead before a Hugo Lloris howler allowed Mandzukic to pull one back.
Here, Press Association Sport looks at how players past and present reacted to the thrilling finale in Russia, which included a dancing president and a former football great hinting at a comeback.
If Kylian keeps equalling my records like this I may have to dust my boots off again… // Se o @KMbappe continuar a igualar os meus records assim, eu vou ter que tirar a poeira das minhas chuteiras novamente…#WorldCupFinal https://t.co/GYWfMxPn7p
— Pelé (@Pele) July 15, 2018
On dab paaaas noooouuuus @EmmanuelMacron ❤️🇫🇷😂 @paulpogba @equipedefrance pic.twitter.com/PRtsGKABOS
— Benjamin Mendy (@benmendy23) July 15, 2018
Yessssiirrrr @equipedefrance #fiersdetrebleus #heretocreate #worldcup #worldcup2018 #fracro pic.twitter.com/md3SAbLQSZ
— Paul Pogba (@paulpogba) July 15, 2018
⭐️⭐️🇫🇷🏆 #Fiersdetrebleus pic.twitter.com/iT7rcy7mvO
— Raphaël Varane (@raphaelvarane) July 15, 2018
CRACKS 🇫🇷⭐️⭐️ @AntoGriezmann @Dembouz pic.twitter.com/XQl5FfnQAg
— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) July 15, 2018
Brate @lukamodric10, neznas koliko se ponosim tobom.!🙏😘 Sve zasluzeno, idemo slavit sa nasom obitelj i svim hrvatima.! NISTA LIJEPSE NEGO BIT HRVAT.!❤️🇭🇷 #iznadsvihhrvatska #budiponosan pic.twitter.com/FE3B5Svnou
— Ivan Rakitic (@ivanrakitic) July 15, 2018
Hrvatska❤️#Croatia #BudiPonosan #Proud #IznadSvihHrvatska #MM17🌪 pic.twitter.com/eVnb1B4USZ
— Mario Mandžukić MM17 (@MarioMandzukic9) July 15, 2018
La conf de presse de Didier Deschamps un petit peu perturbée par les joueurs 😂😂
Les coulisses de la victoire sur notre Snapchat➡️ equipedefrance 👻 pic.twitter.com/dvRXCjEg5H
— Equipe de France (@equipedefrance) July 15, 2018
🇫🇷🤝🇭🇷Great gesture from French president Emmanuel Macron as he comes to congratulate #CRO players following the #WorldCupFinal!#BeProud #WorldCup #Vatreni🔥 pic.twitter.com/E8BCZANW1G
— HNS | CFF (@HNS_CFF) July 15, 2018
#NouvellePhotoDeProfil pic.twitter.com/gx1V9vLLhW
— Djibril Sidibé (@DjibrilSidibeS3) July 15, 2018
Parabéns meu amigo @paulpogba e a toda equipe, um grupo que se mostrou forte na hora certa!!! E o mais bacana: os craques resolveram, @AntoGriezmann , @paulpogba e @KMbappe . O treinador fechou a casinha e jogou na velocidade dos atacantes!!! 👏🏾 🇫🇷 🏆 @fifaworldcup #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/ocTwQ74sMk
— Ronaldinho Gaúcho (@10Ronaldinho) July 15, 2018
So proud that I can call these guys #myteam! #WorldCupFinal #CRO #BeProud #Vatreni #family #SilverMedal 🥈 pic.twitter.com/TiGGn7veOU
— Marko Pjaca (@marko_pjaca20) July 15, 2018
Congratulations to @FFF #France and @raphaelvarane! You deserve to be our successor @FIFAWorldCup!Keep your head up @lukamodric10 and @Mateo_Kova23! You did very well and played a great tournament with #Croatia! pic.twitter.com/N1VoACkAyc
— Toni Kroos (@ToniKroos) July 15, 2018
Good game & good World CupCroatia unlucky overall.
— Sir Geoff Hurst (@TheGeoffHurst) July 15, 2018
🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷 #fiersdetrebleus @equipedefrance @SteveMandanda #bravolesgars 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/wy83yyqlDr
— Koscielny (@6_LKOSCIELNY) July 15, 2018
Congrats France and my bros @corentintolisso @paulpogba 🏆🇫🇷! You deserve this title! Keep your head up high bro @MarioMandzukic9 – great achievement 💪🏼
— Jerome Boateng (@JB17Official) July 15, 2018
Nous étions les premiers champions du monde en 1998. Vous êtes la génération qui nous offre la deuxième étoile. La légende des bleus continue. Très très fier de vous FRANCE 2018. Vous êtes magnifiques ❤️❤️❤️. CHAMPION DU MONDE 2018. 👊👊👊🔥🔥🔥
— Bixente Lizarazu (@BixeLizarazu) July 15, 2018
Felicitaciones panitas @paulpogba @MATUIDIBlaise 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 God bless you 🙏🏾🏆🎉 pic.twitter.com/zuOtUcr32x
— Juan Cuadrado (@Cuadrado) July 15, 2018
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